María Esquinca delivers a searing collection of poems that traverse borders—both physical and emotional. Set against the backdrop of El Paso and Ciudad Juárez, these experimental works weave fragmented verses, striking imagery, and bold typography to confront the brutal realities of immigration and identity. With the precision of a journalist and the heart of a storyteller, Esquinca exposes injustice while celebrating resilience and hope. Her work is shaped by the intersection of cultures, histories, and experiences found in the US-Mexico borderlands. Each poem is a tribute to those who have endured and a call to challenge the systems that oppress. Where Heaven Sinks is a love letter, a memorial for those lost, and a testament to the transformative power of language.https://unpress.nevada.edu/9781647792183/where-heaven-sinks/
María Esquinca is a Xicana poet, educator and journalist. A fronteriza, she was born in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico and grew up in El Paso, TX. Her debut collection “Where Heaven Sinks” was the winner of the 2024 Andrés Montoya Prize, and was selected by Juan Felipe Herrera. She currently teaches English language learners in San Francisco.
Scott Oshiro is a Bay Area-based fluatist and music technology researcher. As an African and Okinawan American, Scott’s creative and academic work incorporates influences from his heritage and combines them with Jazz, Hip Hop, and Electronic music. He recently received his Ph.D. at the Center for Computer Research in Music & Acoustics (CCRMA) at Stanford University, where he researched the intersection between quantum computing, music, and culture. Scott is an Asian Improv aRts fellow, developing quantum computer music improvisation systems for an album featuring BIPOC artists, showcasing the connection between music and quantum physics.
jj peña (pronouns he/they) is the winner of 92NY Discovery Poetry Contest (2023), Fractured Literature's Micro Contest (2021), Tinderbox Journal Editor's Prize (2021), Santa Clara Review's Flash Contest (2021), Mythic Picnic's Post Card Prize (2020), CutBank's Big Sky/Small Prose Contest (2019), & Blue Earth Review's Flash Non-fiction Contest (2019). jj is a 2021 Periplus Fellow, a 2022 Woody & Gayle Hunt Fellow for Aspen Summer Words, & a 2023 Editorial Fellow for Shenandoah Literary. jj holds a BA in both English and Anthropology, & an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Texas at El Paso. jj's work has been published widely & anthologized in places like Best Short Fictions of 2022, Best Micro-Fictions of 2020, & Wigleaf Top 50 Short-Shorts. jj currently reads for Splitlip Magazine.